In the electrical appliance industry there is considerable demand for small, inexpensive, but reliable electrical switches. In the past this demand has been met largely by miniature slide switches that are comprised of a thin, flat insulator base member having two or more stationary contacts on one surface thereof and associated connector terminals extending from the opposite surface. A spring sliding contact is held within the underside of a plastic slide member which is slidable within a metal housing. The housing is stamped from thin sheet metal and has an aperture in its top surface through which extends an actuator button of the slide member. The metal housing has mounting apertures located in extensions on its top surface and also includes side skirts on its two sides. The side skirts extend downwardly over the sides of the plastic slide member and are secured to the insulator base member as by staking. These types of switches have been successfully and extensively used for some time. However, because the metal housing must be stamped and shaped from sheet metal, must be cleaned and plated, and then assembled with the plastic slider and sliding contact, and then staked or otherwise secured to the base member, the selling prices of these switches cannot reasonably be further reduced. The costs associated with the manufacture and handling of the metal housings represent a significant portion of the selling costs of these switches. Accordingly, the elimination of the metal housing would present an opportunity for further reducing the cost of these types of switches.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,525,828 and 3,592,983 slide switches without metal housings are shown for use on printed circuit boards. However, the switches disclosed in those patents are not usable as inexpensive, easy to manufacture, individual slide switches for use on home, garden and shop appliances and tools, and on toys and games, for example.